Ugh. I can't figure out Inkscape for two days now and it's driving me mad. I wanted some flourishes/vines and through some tutorials have sort of figured it out. Stupid bezier tool. I get it but my mouse doesn't. I hate node editing as well.

Was hoping to design some flourishes/vines/leaves and then weld my last name between them. Then cut it out on vinyl and adhere it to a 12x12 tile. It's a silly girl thing but they look fantastic when done. A lot of TTF weren't designed for cutting and the fancier ones need editing.

I feel better now. At least my chain rings came in and my bike is ready to be picked up.

I'm a bit upset. My rear rim is out of true. I just found out that I don't have the spoke wrench to true it. Nor do I have any friends who have a spoke wrench. And I'm broke so I can't get a new one or have the LBS fix it. Off the bike for awhile.

I'm a bit upset. My rear rim is out of true. I just found out that I don't have the spoke wrench to true it. Nor do I have any friends who have a spoke wrench. And I'm broke so I can't get a new one or have the LBS fix it. Off the bike for awhile.

Ugh. Soon as Amazon.com finishes up my trade-ins I'm getting something better that costs half as much and the power won't fluctuate or die because of power cords that don't fit into the machine. Wrapping electrical tape around the cord hasn't helped either.

Hopefully the US distributer has some answers. I'd just send the POS thing back but it's been two years. Can't even sell it with power issues. Just mostly venting right now.

OK so if memory serves I can rant in this thread without fear of being flamed. My rant today is the high prices of bikes. Again. I'm working decent hours and I still can't afford a bike with hydraulic brakes and name brand suspension.

While commuting, I have had a few random instances of vague things casually hollered out a window. Last night was the first time I wish I recorded my commutes, so I could call the cops, because someone tried to run me off my bike and hurt me.

It is a super bike - friendly route with bike lanes almost the entire way. I was chugging up the hill in the bike lane last night, after a full day of work, wearing work clothes and with reasonable lights, as always. An SUV passes me, and as it passes, someone leaned out the window and screamed directly in my ear as loud as they could. It stunned me, made my ears ring all night, and the intent seemed to be to startle me enough to crash or fall over. It was malicious, cruel, and unprovoked. I was in a pissy mood for a while afterwards.

What kind of ****ed up piece of shit does things to people just to hurt them for their personal amusement?? What the hell could go through someone's head to think hurting random people is funny, entertaining, or even remotely acceptable?? Does this make me old to be shaking a fist at the 'jackass' knockoff inspired generation? (Even though I am of the age to be in that generation...).

More than a camera, I wish I carried handy projectiles I could have ****ed up their car with. I was thinking the same thing when I was serving, saw a table leaving without paying, followed them out the door, where they ran into a waiting minivan and screached away 5 feet from me. Paying to fix a rock through the window would have shown how cheap the 60 dollar tab the whole table feasted on really was...

God help the first sorry SOB who I catch wronging me, cause they will get the full brunt of all the missed vengeance too...

I feel slightly better... would feel much better if I could have reached out and smashed that *******'s face into an oncoming lightpole...

While commuting, I have had a few random instances of vague things casually hollered out a window. Last night was the first time I wish I recorded my commutes, so I could call the cops, because someone tried to run me off my bike and hurt me.

It is a super bike - friendly route with bike lanes almost the entire way. I was chugging up the hill in the bike lane last night, after a full day of work, wearing work clothes and with reasonable lights, as always. An SUV passes me, and as it passes, someone leaned out the window and screamed directly in my ear as loud as they could. It stunned me, made my ears ring all night, and the intent seemed to be to startle me enough to crash or fall over. It was malicious, cruel, and unprovoked. I was in a pissy mood for a while afterwards.

What kind of ****ed up piece of shit does things to people just to hurt them for their personal amusement?? What the hell could go through someone's head to think hurting random people is funny, entertaining, or even remotely acceptable?? Does this make me old to be shaking a fist at the 'jackass' knockoff inspired generation? (Even though I am of the age to be in that generation...).

More than a camera, I wish I carried handy projectiles I could have ****ed up their car with. I was thinking the same thing when I was serving, saw a table leaving without paying, followed them out the door, where they ran into a waiting minivan and screached away 5 feet from me. Paying to fix a rock through the window would have shown how cheap the 60 dollar tab the whole table feasted on really was...

God help the first sorry SOB who I catch wronging me, cause they will get the full brunt of all the missed vengeance too...

I feel slightly better... would feel much better if I could have reached out and smashed that *******'s face into an oncoming lightpole...

Vaguely related, but a story you might enjoy. Years ago my father and i were driving north on hwy 101 (San Diego coastal route). A suv in front of us full of young men passed very close to a female bike rider. One of the passengers reached out and smacked her ass as their vehicle passed. She did not go down, but it was close.

A half mile down the down the road was a red light. We were front row to the bike rider smacking the guy in the face, HARD, with her bike pump multiple times. Idiot was leaning his arm out the open window completely unaware and presenting her a perfect target. I think she got three free shots off before he even began to react.

She took off as the kids began opening doors. Clean get away. We were not the only car honking and cheering for her.

Almost two weeks ago, I used my local drive in car wash. The kind where you pull in and park and the washer moves around your vehicle to clean it. I use it almost weekly. Well, this time the dammed thing malfunctioned. It got stuck in it's gearing and when it broke free, it slammed my front fender (leaving a good sized dent) and then moved rapidly toward the rear of my vehicle, tearing the side view mirror off. I immediately gunned it out of the facility, my vehicle still all soapy.

I ran into the store and told them that the machine had just broke and caused damage to my vehicle. They looked at the damage and took pictures. To my astonishment, they flagged the next car through and watched the cleaner work. It didn't malfunction.

I parked in their parking lot and they had me fill out their insurance claim form. They loaned me tools to remove my now flopping mirror that was hanging by the power cord. The broken mirror had also caused 3 small dents in my door where it impacted and a noticeable scratch in the window. They said that I should hear from their insurance company within a few days. They were apologetic and also offered me a free rewash. They have a surveillance video of the occurrence and they planned to review it. They would not share any info with me, however other than their first names, the owners first name and their business contact number. Hmmm, fishy.

I got home and contacted my insurance company. Started a claim through them just in case. If all else failed, I could use my ins company for repairs but I would have to pay a $500 comprehensive deductible.

Well, I haven't heard back from them yet. My insurance claims rep has tried to get info from them 3 times now and they will not cooperate. She told me that in a comprehensive claim, it's common for the other party not to cooperate. Lovely.

I'm going to go in there again next week and ask them why I haven't heard back from them. I'm also going to ask for some specific info. I expect that they will not cooperate.

If not, I will call my City officials and file a complaint. I will call the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint, and I will call 76 gasoline company and file a complaint. Then, I will gather estimates from my dealership and take the dirtbags to small claims court, probably a televised show so that the whole world can see what azzholes they really are.

None on the damage to my vehicle is serious. I already replaced the broken mirror so I'm rolling just fine now. Doesn't matter if it takes a while to get through this.